Our group is devoted to a clinical-translational approach to study basic mechanisms of metabolism in cardiovascular disease states. In particular, our group focuses on abnormal glucose, amino acid and lipid metabolism including pathways of lipotoxicity in various tissues such as skeletal muscle, adipose tissue and myocardium in advanced cardiac disease.

On a clinical-translational level, we are employing a systematic assessment of body composition and functional performance of patients with cardiovascular disease.Through a systematic analysis, we define markers of muscle performance (strength and fatigability) in a number of patient cohorts. Further, we routinely perform skeletal muscle biopsies on patients. We have established a large serum and tissue biomarker database of patients with heart failure, patients with heart failure before and after undergoing left ventricular assist device placement and patients after cardiac transplantation.

The basic science lab employs a wide range of techniques including molecular and cell biology, histology and immunohistochemistry, lipid mass spectroscopy, structural biology and basic muscle and cardiac physiology. We study genetically altered animal models of abnormal human metabolism associated with cardiomyopathies and vascular disease as well as models of cardiac ischemia, hypertrophy and failure.

As a clinical-translational research group, we are looking for ways to ultimately turn clinical or basic scientific observations into new therapeutic options for patients suffering from cardiovascular disease.

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